A PhD is a huge and daunting undertaking. I started my PhD just over 3 years ago and during that time I have learnt much more about the whole process and what worked most for me. Here are my top tips to new PhD starters.
1. Meet new people
A PhD can be a good chance to connect with other people with a similar mindset. A PhD can also be a lonely endeavour. When opportunities arise, try to connect with new people and to forge friendships. This can be with your cohort, at networking events, others in your department, in university societies for example. That is however under normal circumstances. 2020 is as far from a normal year as can be with many of these opportunities for interaction being restricted due to COVID-19 social distancing. This really puts a strong emphasis of making the most of any offline socially distanced events and online events that do take place. Using social media to connect with others and to forge new friendships will be more necessary than ever this year too.
2. Adopt a balanced workstyle
It can be tempting to work incredibly hard and for long hours in your first year. The content is new and exciting, and you have lots to learn and do. This is an easy trap to fall into, especially when comparing yourself to other students or researchers. Take things at a steady pace. A PhD is a marathon not a sprint. Burnout can begin to creep in and can negatively affect your mental health and your productivity. My recommendation is to adopt a balanced approach where you work efficiently with your time in the lab or at the computer more in line with a 9-5 job. Once you are finished for the day, mentally clock out and use the time to get ready for the next day. Take time off at the weekend. Take holiday time. You will be more productive and happier for it.
3. Read, read, and read some more
At the start of your PhD journey, you will naturally know very little about your chosen research topic. There is a wealth of information available in journal papers, textbooks and on websites. Its a good idea to try to read as much of this as you can (while still absorbing the content of course). Make some notes as you read if this helps. You may have to write a literature review as part of your PhD and this is another excellent way to apply what you are reading. If you are sitting at your PC wondering what to do, slotting in some additional reading is a good use of your time which you will be grateful of later down the line.
4. Ask questions
Over the course of your education so far, its likely you will have been taught things in a very regimented way. Lectures, classroom learning, workshops, and the like. What these often do not put an emphasis on is learning by asking questions. This is one of the major first skills you will learn by doing a PhD. Ask as many questions as you can, especially if they seem like obvious or silly questions. How does this work? Why should I do it this way? How about I try this? Why does this happen? The more questions you ask, ultimately the more you will learn.
5. Keep up with your hobbies and interests
There is a stereotype of graduate students that they should always be in the lab or at the PC. Anytime away from your PhD studies is time wasted. I really don’t know why this stereotype lingers and only serves to make unhappy and unproductive PhD students. Absolutely do the opposite of this. Keep up with the things you enjoy outside of the lab or away from the desk. Sports, games, socialising, nature, whatever things you like doing, be sure to keep up with them. They help create balance in your life rather than letting the PhD taking over and defining you. A PhD is an important part of who you are, but you are so much more than that too.
6. Don’t compare yourself to others
It can be easy to compare yourself and your own research progress with others. Don’t do this. Its an easy way to make yourself feel inadequate when you are making good progress. We are all on our own research journeys that will travel at their own paces. Some projects take more time than others, some people will move at a different speed and that is perfectly ok. Focus on yourself. Its good to keep an active interest in other people’s research and projects but be sure not to link the progress of their research with your own. Your project is your project, and you are the best person to be at the reins right now. Don’t let yourself or anyone else convince you any different.
7. Be prepared to make mistakes
As part of a PhD you will make many mistakes, things wont work and you will naturally feel frustrated because of this. Don’t take the mistakes to heart, they are a normal and important part of the learning process. Similarly, things such as experiments just wont work with no idea why. Again, this is another normal part of the process. Know that you are doing great and one day you’ll look back on those past missteps and issues and be grateful of how far you have come since then.
8. Go easy on yourself
One of the biggest challenges to a PhD is yourself. In many cases, we really are our own worst enemy. A big tip that will help you not just in your PhD but in various aspects of life is to go easy on yourself. We all make mistakes, and we are all human. Treat yourself as you would want to be treated by others, be kind. Try not to dwell on any past failures or negative encounters. Focus on the positive and what you are doing well.
9. Consistency is key
As mentioned earlier, a PhD is a marathon and not a sprint. As such, I recommend a consistent approach to your work and learning. An efficient and productive block of work each day is much more sustainable than weeks of low productivity followed by a short burst of craziness. This may have worked for shorter projects or cramming for exams, but for such a long body of work, this will just burn you out with little to show for it. Treat your PhD like a job, be fully present when you are working and then be sure to finish at a reasonable time in the evening ready for the next day. There will be days when you have to work longer and harder, similarly there will be days that will feel easier but in general, a consistent and balanced schedule will really carry you a long way.
10. Look after your mental wellbeing
A PhD is hard. If it were easy, everyone would have one. One of the biggest challenges is not necessarily the work itself however, it is the pressures on mental health. Really make looking after your mental health a priority. Many of the previous tips touch upon ways to keep your brain happier and healthier. Of course, everyone is different. What works for one person will be different for another. Try out different techniques and strategies and see what works best for you. If your university or institution has wellbeing resources, be sure to explore these. Find people who you feel comfortable around to open up and share your thoughts. Find ways to detach from your PhD. Remember, you are so much more than your PhD and it doesn’t define who you are.
————————————————————————————————————————————–
I hope you found these tips useful. Please let us know in the comments if you think there are any additional tips or strategies that are useful for new PhD students. If you are a new PhD student reading this, do get in touch. If you have any questions about the process or want someone to reach out to, I’m happy to help out.
A PhD is a rollercoaster filled with ups and downs. Try to enjoy the process as much as you can, learn plenty and forge new relationships. You will be a very different person at the end of your degree compared to at the start but hopefully, these tips will help start that journey heading in the right direction. Good luck and enjoy the next few years in the world of research!
Thanks for reading.
Danny Ward
@DannyJamesWard
DannyJamesWard 